Leek fritters with cheese and herbs; Pirasa Mucveri and Pide Online Cookery Class!
 
 
I hope you enjoy these delicious Leek fritters, Pirasa mucveri. I added wholesome chickpea (gram) flour in the mixture, rather than plain flour. I have been enjoying the gram flour recently; it is a pulse flour made from ground chickpea, it is gluten-free, nutty, earthy tasting and packed with goodness. Great in these fritters too. Of course you can use plain flour here instead, if you wish. I also added grated carrots to these fritters, they added a lovely natural sweetness and crunch. Enjoy them with a good squeeze of lemon and garlicy yoghurt by the side.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 200g/7oz (2 medium) carrots, grated
  • 430g/15oz (3-4 medium leeks), trimmed, quartered and chopped finely
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch dill, finely chopped Handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 150g/5oz Turkish white cheese, beyaz peynir or feta cheese
  • 75ml/5 tablespoons chickpea (gram) flour Or all-purpose/plain flour
  • 5ml/1 teaspoon Turkish pul biber or chili flakes (optional)
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • Canola oil, groundnut oil or sunflower oil for shallow frying
  • Wedges of lemon to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F (if you wish to bake the fritters)
  2. Place the finely chopped leeks in a large bowl. Sprinkle a good pinch of salt (1-2 tsp) over the leeks, and rub and mix with your hands. Please do this stage with your hands, rather than with a spoon, as mixing with your hands will soften the leeks.
  3. Grate the carrots. Take a couple of sheets of sturdy paper towel, place the grated carrots in it and gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
  4. Combine the grated carrots with the leeks in a large bowl. Transfer the gram flour (or plain flour, if you wish) to the large bowl and stir in the beaten eggs. Crumble the Turkish white cheese, beyaz peynir or feta cheese and combine in the large bowl. Add the chopped garlic, dill and parsley, season with salt and ground black pepper. Sprinkle the pul biber or red pepper flakes, if you enjoy a little heat. Combine well into a batter (take care not to add extra salt if your cheese is already salty).
  5. In a frying pan, heat enough groundnut, sunflower or canola oil to shallow fry. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter mix into the hot oil spoonful by spoonful, leaving space between each one. Fry over a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes each side until both sides are golden brown. Remove with a straining spoon and drain on an absorbent kitchen paper towel.
  6. Alternatively, if you would like a lighter flavor, you can bake your mucver in a preheated oven at 180C / 350F. If you choose this way, grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon light olive oil or groundnut oil. Place spoonfuls of the batter on the baking tray, leaving about 1”/2.5cm space between each spoonful batter. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, until they are gold and getting crispy around the edges.
  7. For garlic yoghurt, crush a garlic clove with salt and finely chop. Combine the plain yoghurt and garlic and beat until smooth. Add salt to taste.
  8. Serve the fritters warm, at room temperature or cold with wedges of lemon and garlic yoghurt at the side.
  9. Afiyet Olsun.
Recipe by Ozlem's Turkish Table at https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2021/01/leek-fritters-with-cheese-and-herbs-pirasa-mucveri-and-pide-online-cookery-class/